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Monday, December 28, 2009

Paging Dr. Google

With Christmas behind us and a week of vacation ahead of me, I have plenty of time this week to lounge in bed with my computer, catching up on e-mails, blogs and message boards. Unfortunately, I am also left with ample time to research the cause of our barren-ness. Which brings me to my latest Google obsession:

Endometriosis.

I was reading the Infertility message board on The Bump last night and skimmed a few posts about it. It's not something that I've ever really thought about... But last night I started reading some sites and studies and I was kind of surprised at what I found:

1) There is a connection between IBS and Endo. See here.2) There is a connection between Interstitial Cystitis (IC) and Endo. See here.3) There is a connection between migraines and Endo. See here.

Why does this cause me to raise an eyebrow? I've been diagnosed with IBS, IC & migraines.

Could this be pure coincidence? Absolutely. But, could there be a connection? Sure.

We have already decided to go ahead and do the HSG next cycle, but now I'm wondering if I should be challenging Dr. RE to consider a laparoscopy (they can do the HSG at the same time) to rule out endo. I don't really know anything about endometriosis, other than I have some of the symptoms and conditions associated with it, but that certainly doesn't mean that I have it. It's not something that Dr. RE and I talked about at my first appointment. I know that a lap is much more invasive than an HSG, and I certainly would dread the surgery-- but it's something to discuss.

Here's a CD30 chart update:

I wish I could say that the temp rise was me ovulating (better late than never) but I think it's just us cranking up the heat on these cold nights. None of my other fertility signs are remotely, well, fertile. I'm going to call Dr. RE's office tomorrow to ask if I can come in on Friday for the progesterone shot. I've taken progesterone pills before but I've never had the shot before--Does anyone know if it brings AF faster than the pills?

3 comments:

I consulted Dr. Google on this very subject just over a year ago (before we started trying). He definitively diagnosed me with endo.

But then a bunch of other stuff came up, and I stopped calling him so often about it.

Still, the links in your case sound possible and it's certainly worth mentioning to your RE. If she doesn't feel the time has come yet for a lap, she can give you her rationale for that decision and you'll have a little more info (which is always a good thing, even when it comes from Dr Google, despite my husband's warnings)

I swore up and down that I had endo but my HSG came back clear as did all of my other exams, so my RE refuses to do a LAP. He also denies that it has anything to do with IF, unless it's blocking your tubes. I hope that your doctor is helpful in trying to figure out what the issue is.

There seems to be some much variation between individual doctors! That's one of the things I noticed when I first started surfing IF blogs, actually. I have no symptoms of endometriosis and a clear HSG but my Doc still wants to do a Lap if we haven't conceived after 4 rounds with clomid. And it does seem worthwhile because there are other issues aside from endometriosis that could be identified at Laparoscopy. It will be interesting to see what your RE thinks, Stef. Even if you don't go ahead with a lap at this stage it's definitely worth talking about.

{About Me}

I'm a 36 year old single mommy to 2u2. After struggling to get pregnant with my ex, my RE diagnosed me with anovulation due to hypothyroidism. With the help of Synthroid and Clomid, I welcomed my son Liam on 9/21/10. Little brother Jack followed on 11/11/11.